1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to archery quivers or arrow dispensing devices and more particularly to rotatable quivers that can be mounted on a bow or other device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Different Prior Art quivers have been used to store arrows for use by an archer. The most common type of quiver is one in which multiple arrows are stored in a side by side configuration with the individual arrows held in slots or clips of common configuration. An example of this type of prior art quiver is shown in FIG. 18, which shows a bow 100 with a prior art quiver 110 mounted on the bow. This prior art quiver is shown in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,881. Some attempts have been made to provide a configuration in which the arrows can be rotated into a position in which the arrows can be released one at a time. Addition of a rotating capability has historically added cost, complexity and weight to the quiver, making rotatable quivers less desirable, especially when mounted directly to the bow. Insertion and removal of arrows from prior art rotatable quivers can also involve relatively complicated maneuvers accounting for the lack of acceptance of some of these prior art devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,730 discloses a rotating quiver having a pair of spider discs made of flexible rubber with evenly spaced openings for retaining the shaft of an arrow at spaced locations. The discs are mounted on a spindle, and the spindle is mounted on upper and lower brackets that can be used to mount the quiver on a bow. The brackets extend between two adjacent arrows, so the quiver cannot be freely rotated to any position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,099 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,734 disclose a quiver in which a hunter may insert the head of an arrow into one of several slotted openings in a holder so that the arrowheads are wedged therein. The shafts of the arrows can be wedged into cutouts in a shaft supporting member that is formed by sandwiching a pliable member with cutouts between two more rigid plastic members. Although the arrows can be rotated, a compound movement appears necessary in order to insert or remove the arrows from the quiver, because the hunter must thread the arrowhead into one of the slotted openings designed to receive arrowheads of different shapes. Furthermore the two arrowhead and shaft retaining units have different shapes which would appear to increase the expense of this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,088 discloses a quiver having a cylindrical housing with a lid having a closed-cell foam filler for receiving the point of an arrowhead. The lid is attached to an arrow retaining ring and this subassembly can be rotated within an outer shell which includes a slot. A door on the arrow retaining ring can be positioned to close this slot and the arrows can be rotated into alignment with the slot. However, the intent of this device appears to be to completely close the arrows, unless the subassembly is rotated to align a single arrow for removal from the quiver. Although such a device may protect the arrows, it would appear that this device is relatively bulky and that it would be difficult to insert or remove arrows from the quiver.
The instant invention provides a simple, compact, light weight, rotatable quiver with a minimum number of parts. At the same time the arrows are held securely in the quiver and, but can be released by simply rotating the arrows. The arrows are inserted or removed by lateral motion without the need for complicated compound movement. The arrows can also be fully enclosed by a removable cover.
According to this invention, a quiver for holding a plurality of arrows, the quiver includes a stationary subassembly and a rotatable subassembly. The stationary subassembly includes two spaced apart split rings joined by a bracket affixed to each split ring. Each split ring includes an opening between distal ends. The openings in the split rings are aligned so that an arrow can be simultaneously laterally inserted or removed through the aligned openings. Each slit ring is affixed to the bracket at a point circumferentially spaced from the split ring opening so that the bracket does not interfere with insertion and removal of an arrow through the split ring openings. The rotatable subassembly includes first and second discs each including a plurality of radially extending slots. Each slot has a width sufficient to receive an arrow inserted laterally therein. Each disc is positioned within an associated split ring so that the disc is free to rotate relative to the associated split ring. A central rod extends between the two discs. Each disc is attached to the central rod so that the rotatable subassembly is rotatable relative to the stationary subassembly. Each arrow is held in associated slots in the two spaced apart discs by the split rings, until the rotatable subassembly is rotated to a position in which a slot holding an arrow is aligned with openings in the split rings so that an arrow can be removed.
According to the preferred embodiment, the quiver can store arrows within a rotating magazine located within an outer member, such as a pair of split rings. This magazine includes at least one disc having a plurality of radially oriented slots. Each slot is open to a peripheral surface on the disc and has a width sufficient for receipt of an arrow shaft. The disc includes a segmented circumferential groove extending between the slots and intersecting the slots. The groove is radially spaced from a root of at least one slot. A resilient ring is located in the circumferential groove. This resilient ring is deflectable inwardly toward the root of a slot in which an arrow is positioned. The outer member has an inwardly facing circumferential surface in which the disc is located. The resilient ring urges an arrow located in a slot outwardly into engagement with the circumferential surface to grip an arrow in a slot. The disc is rotatable relative to the outer member. The outer member includes at least one opening though which an arrow can be inserted or removed when one slot on the disc is aligned with the opening.
This quiver can be part of a quiver assembly kit including a quiver attachable to and detachable from other archery components, such as a bow and a hip quiver bracket. The quiver in the quiver assembly kit includes a quiver bracket in the form of a bar having a plurality of threaded and smooth holes spaced apart between opposite ends of the quiver bracket. The quiver also includes an arrow magazine means mounted on one side of the quiver bracket. A bow bracket mountable on a bow is attachable to the quiver bracket on a second side of the quiver bracket. The bow bracket includes a pair of dog-leg slots for receiving a pair of screws extending from the quiver bracket bow so that the quiver can be mounted on a bow. The kit also includes a hip bracket also attachable to the second side of the quiver bracket. A tubular cover is removably mountable on the quiver to enclose the arrow magazine means. The tubular cover includes a cover slot for receiving the quiver bracket when the tubular cover is mounted on the quiver with the second side of the bow bracket being exposed so that the bow bracket or hip bracket are exposed when the tubular cover encloses the arrow magazine means.